Measuring and filling device



Nov. 17 1925.

1,561,939 H. w. Lows I IIEASURING AND FILLING DEVICE Filed larch l, 19204 Sheets-Sheet l H. W. LOWE MEASURING AND FILLING DEVICE Nove 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l, 1920 aww/WIPO@ .7517?? Nov. 17, 1925 n' H.w. LOWE umsunina AND FILLING nEvIcE Fired March 1, 1920 4 sheets-sheet:s

abbot/MW Nov. 17, 1925- H. w. LowE MEASURING AND FILLING DEVICE FiledMarch l, 1920 4 SheetS-Shet 4 WVg Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT* OFFICE.

HARRY' W. LOWE, DRCRASRD, LATE or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA; BY MARK W.LOWE, ADMINISTRATOR, 'or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

MEASURING AND FILLING- DEVICE.

Appncation ined March 1, 1920. serial No. 352,529.

To all whom t may conce/m.'

Be it known that HARRY W. LOWE; deceased, who before his death was acitizen of the United Stat-es, residing in Indianapolis7 in the countyof Marion and State of 1ndiana,invented a new and useful Measuring andFilling Device, of which the following is a specification. l

1t is the object of the present invention to provide a measuringandiilling arrange-l ment for filling cans, especially for filling canswith food stuffs though also 'for other purposes; and further, to handleboth liquids and solids through separate but associated measuringdevices either one of which may be used independently, whereby thesolids will be measured and fed into the can without damage as fromcrushing, and the liquid will be fed into the can without dripping; andto do all this automatically.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention: Fig. 1 is aAperspective view of a filling and measuring device embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on Aa plane somewhatabove the table and can-moving parts but below the solids.

and liquid-feeding parts`;'Fig. 3 Ais a hori-vr zontal section justbelow the table, with some parts broken away, to show the operatingmechanism.; Fig. 1 is an 'elevation of the structure, with the pedestalbroken away; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line of Fig. 6, showingthe solids-feeding device; and Fig. 6 is a section on the lines 6 6 ofFigs. 4 and 5.

The device as shown has a horizontal table 10 suitably supported as on apedestal 11; and above this table are two oppositely rotating starwheels 12 and 13 carried by vertical shafts 14 and 15 extending throughthe table 10 and driven from below the table in the manner hereinafterdescribed to produce rotation of such star wheels in the directionsindicated by the arrows in Fig. "2- the star kwheel 12 counterclockwiseand the star wheel 13 clockwise. The sta-r wheel 12 receives cans 16 tobe filled7 receiving them from a can chute 17 Fig. 1) which der positsthe cans with the open end upward in position to be received by oneofthe notches of the star wheel 12; and this star wheel isintermittently operated to carry the cans in an aro-shaped path ofmovement in contact with a curved guide18, allowing each can tostop'below the discharge spout 19 of the solids-feeding device forasufficient time for such can to receive its allotted amount of solids.The star wheel 12 in its rotation discharges the cans16, now containingltheir solids, to the star wheel 13 which carries them with a continuousInove-v ment through a reverse arc-shaped path against a guide 20 whichat its receiving end has a projecting portion 20 which guides the canscontaining their solids from their position in the notches of the starwheel 12 into position to be acted upon by the fingers of the star wheel13. `As the cans are carried forward by the star wheel 13 they receivetheir allotted supply of liquid from Oneor another of the circularyseries of rotating liquid-feeding funnels21 which are carried by theshaft 15 to rotate therewith. After receiving their supply of liquid thecans are discharged from the star wheel 13 onto anysuitable receiving orconveying mechanism with which the .present invention is not concerned.

In order to operate the star wheels 12 and 13 as stated lthere is a maindriving shaft 25 extending horizontally below the table 10 and connectedby a suitable gearing 26, as shown an internal gear and a spur pinion,toa power shaft 27 on which there are fast and loose pulleys 28 and 29,with suitable belt-shifting mechanism 30 for starting and stopping theshafts 25 and 27 in the usual manner. The shaft 25 carries a bevelpinion 31 meshing with a bevel gear 32 fixed on' the shaft 15 below thetable 10, so that when the shaft 25 rotates it .produces continuousrotation of the' shaft 15 and of the parts carried thereby-the starwheel 13 and the liquid-feeding funnels 21.

The'shaft 25 also carries two cams 33 and 31, each of which has a camgroove in one end face. A roller 35 carried by a slide bar '36 having asliding mounting on the shaft 25 travels in the cam groove in the cam33, to move such lslide bar`36 backward and forward approximatelyhorizontally transverse to the shaft 15V as the latter rotates. Theendof this slide bar 36 has a loose pivot connection 37 to a cross-bar38 mounted onthe shaft 14, which cross-bar 38 carries la spring-pressedpawl 39 co-operating with a ratchet wheel 40 fixed on the shaft 15 belowthe table 10. The mounting of the slide bar 36 and its connection to thecross-bar 38 are suticiently loose so that the movement of suchV slidebar is not interfered with in spite of the fact that its movement is notconfined to a single plane. Thus as the shaft 25 rotates, the slide bar36 is` recipf rocated to oscillate the cross-bar 88./ and through thepawl-and-ratchet connection 89-40 to feed the star wheel 12intermittently-forward. The cani groove in the cam 33 is of the propershape to produce this movement.

The. cam 84 .is similar to the cam 33, but angularly displaced therefromon the shaft 25'. A. roller 41. travels in its camgroove, and thisroller is carried by one end of a lever 42pivotally mounted` on a pivotpin 43 carried by a downwardly projecting finger44 from the table 10, orotherwise suitably supported. lever 42 is connected-by aloose-jointedlink 45l to a crank arm 4 6xed on the projecting..

horizontal` trunnion 47 from the closedV endy of a cylindrical measurer48-located inv a casing 49, which casing below such measurer 48'leads tothe solids spout 19, and above such measurer to the feed hopper 5() fromwhich theA measurer receives its supply of solids. Thus astheshaft25rotates, it rocks the lever 42, and oscillates themeasurerbaclr and forth to produce the measuring and feeding operation.

rlhe measurer 49 is hollow and is open on one side, and this openside'is alternately brought into communication` with. the, hopper 50 toreceive a charge of solids and into communication with the spout 19 tofeedsuch charge to such spout, as-suchmeasurer is oscillated as iaforesaid. They measurer i 48 is cylindricaleXteriorly, and bearsagainstthe casing'. 49along the lower edge l5l of the rear wall of the hopper50 andfalso' along the front wall of such casing on thevbearing, surface52, across which latter surface. the open side of the .measurer 48travelsduring the oscillations of such measurer. The bearing. surface 52does not lead directly to the front wall of the hopper ,50, but.insteadv such front hopper wall ends somedistanceabove such bearingsurface 52, and. between the lower endv of suclrhopper wall.andrthebeai`- ing. surface 52 there, is an. outwardly offset poc,let:54y the lower wall 55 of which is preferably an. oblique wall liketheihopper wall and the upper. wall. 56 of whichfextends from the loweredge 58 of thefront hopper wall horizontally.forwardat aniangle which ismaterially nearer the horizontal than the angle of repose of any solidswhich are sup plied to the hopperO. As a result, the solids rfromtliehopper 50 will project into the pocket 54 with a free oblique uppersurface 57 (indicated in dotted lines) Vwhich is separated from theupper pocket wall56, thus leaving a free spacevinto which such solidsmay freelymove in case they are caught and pushed upward by the descend-The opposite end of the` indeed practically eliminates any crushing ofthev beans whatsoever..`

In lorderto vary the amount of solids discharged by the measurer4 48 inan oscillation, the oppositeVend ofsuch measurer .from that whichcarriesthe trunnion 47 is open, and slidably lmounted-in this open endis a plunger 60 whichisofthe same cross-section as the opening withinthe measurer 48 so that by beingslid longitudinal-ly thereofit fillspart of'thespace of the measurer and thereby varies the measuring space,which is the-part which the plunger 6O.,does` not fill. The, plunger 60is shown as hollow, with suitable. side walls 6l for preventing thesolids from the hopper 5() from entering. that-,partof the measurer 48which is to tl1erightl (Fig. 6) of the-base of the plungerf60, theVmeasuring space being` that to theleftof such plunger spa-ce; Aplungerl rod62` Aextends from the plunger 60 through a'` suitablebearing 63 -in a projectingf-rame 64 carried by the casing49, whichbearingA 63andf rod 62 serve as the other supporting.l trunnion forthemeasurer 48. vThe rod. .62 to. the, right lof. Athe bearing 63 (Fig. 6)is rotatably connected` to a screw 65, mounted, in-` a frame. 64 andprovided with al. hand; wheel 66 by which it may be operated to movetheplunger` 66, forward and back; and preferably there ,is a suitablelocking` nut. andhand wheel .6T for locking the plungerin any positionin which it may be set. The plunger60 is guided in its movementsalongthefaxis of thev measurer 48-by a pinvand-sloty interconnection68.-

The liquid-feeding funnels 2l are equal, ininumberv to the lfingersofthe star wheel 13,r and areseparated from one another by radial webs70 which forni part of such funnels. Above the cylindrical series offunnels 2lin position to discharge! into one which hasjust received' a`can 16 fully beneathiti is fa liquid-feedingf-pipe 7l, for feeding the`catsup or other liquid which is tofbe supplied in measured quantities tothe cans whichhave already received their measured quantities ofsolids.` ThisA pipe 7lV receives its, supply from any suitable source,preferably a constant-.level source. Controlling-,the dischargefrom thepipeil, and' in series with one another, are three llO valves 72, 73,and 74. One of these valves, say the valve 73, is a. shut-off valve,which in its open and closed positions merely permits or prevents thepassage of the liquid from the pipe 71; the amount of liquid passing onesuch valve is. dependent upon the other valves. This valve iscontinuously open when the machine is operated, but is closed when themachine is stoppe-d; otherwise it is untouched. The valve 72 is aregulating valve for regulating the quantity of liquid which isdischarged into each passing funnel 21. By adjusting it, the amount ofliquid so discharged may be made more or less as desired. t By providingthe shutoff valve 7 3,`it is unnecessary .to change the .setting of. thevalve 72 when the machine is temporarily stopped, so that when themachine is again started and the valve 73 opened the quantity of liquidpermitted to pass by the valve 72 will not have been changed. The valve74 is an automatic valve, for letting liquid be discharged from the pipeinto a funnel 21 only when a can 16 has been received beneath suchfunnel. To this end the operating arm 75 of the valve 74 is connected bya link 76 to an arm 77 fixed on a vertical shaft 78, on the lower end ofwhich is fixed a finger 79. This finger 7 9 is arranged tov be moved inone direaction, to open the valve 74, by the cans 16 as they passinto'the star wheel 13, a suitable spring 80 being arranged to act onthe vertical shaft 7 8V to move it in the opposite direction to closethevalve 74 when no can passes into a notch in the star wheel 13. Thus iffor any reason any notch of the star wheel 13 does not receive a can,the funnel which is above that notch does not receive any liquid fromthe pipe 71, and so that funnel 21 does not discharge such liquid unlessthere is a can beneath it. This not only saves the liquid, but, which ismore important, it prevents the discharge of the liquor onto the table10 instead of into a can. lVhen a can is received beneath a funnel 21,however, suoli funnel receives a supply of liquid through the now openvalve 74, and feeds such liquid on into the can beneath it; andas theshaft 15 is rotated to carry the can forward by the action of the starwheel 13, the Yfunnel 21 which Ais supplying such can moves forward withit until by the time the can leaves the star wheel 13 the liquid in thefunnel 21 is wholly discharged into the 'can and even the dripping isstopped.

In operation, the star wheel 13 and funnels 21 are rotated continuously,the star wheel 12 is fed forward intermittently and allowed to remainstationary between forward movements, and the measurer 48 is oscillated.All these movements are properly timed, by the proper angular spacing ofthe cams 33 and 34 on the shaft .25 and by providing the proper ratiofor the gearing 31-32. vThe can chute 17 is kept filled with cansandthey hopper 50 with the desired solids; and the pipe 71 is keptsupplied with the desired liquid, from any suitable source. As themachine operates, the star wheel 12 in its intermittent forward movementreceives cans from the chute 17 and carries them forward, by the actionof the cam 33 andv the ratchet mechanism 39-40. Each can stops beneaththe spout. 19. lVhile the can is beneath the spout V19, the measurer48,v which just previously has had its open side uppermost to receive acharge of solids, is inverted by the action of the cam 34 on the lever42 to vfeed such charge through the spout 19 into the. wait-v ing canbeneath; and after such charge has been receivedvby the can, themeasurer isv returned to its receiving position while the filled cantravels onward and an empty can takes its place beneath the spout 19.Crushing of the solids by the measurer 48 is prevented by the pocket 54,as already explained. As the star wheel12 continues its rotation, itfeeds the cans around the inside .of the guide 18 andthe star wheel 13,in which the cans are guided by the finger 20. As each can 16 enters thestar wheel 13, it passes toa posit-ion below one of the funnels 21. Whena can passes to its position, it acts on the finger 79, to open thevalve 74; which remains open for a sufficient time to permit a supply ofthe desired quantity of liquid, as determined by the setting of thevalve 72, to the funnel 21 above such can. The star -wheel 13 in itscontinuous rotation now carries the can forward, and during this forwardmovement the can receives from the funnel 21 above it the liquid whichthe latter has received from the pipe 71. Loss of liquid is prevented bythe closing of the valve 74 in case a funnel 21 passes beneath the pipe71 with no can 16 beneath it. The amounts of solids and liquids fed toeach can are determined by the settings of the hand wheel 66 and of thevalve 7 2.Y

I claim as his invention:

1. In a measuring and filling apparatus, two interconnectedreceptacle-moving devices, one being arranged to operate continuouslyand one intermittently, a stationaryY measuring device fory measuringand discharging solids into successive receptacles while they areassociated with the intermittent reccptacle-moving device during theperiod when the latter is stationary, and a movable device fordischarging measured quantities of liquid Vinto successive receptacleswhile they are associated with the continuous receptaclesmoving device,one of said receptacle-moving devices being arranged to feed receptaclesto the other.

2. In a measuring and filling apparatus, two interconnectedreceptacle-moving delso lOO

v-ices, a stationary measuring device for measuring and dischargingsolids into successive receptacles while they are associated with one ofsaid receptacle-moving devices, and a movable device for dischargingmeasured quantities ot liquid into successive receptacles while they areassociated with the other ot said receptacle-moving devices, one of saidreceptacle-moving devices being arranged to :feed receptacles to theother.

3. In a measuring and tilling apparatus, two interconnectedreceptacle-moving devices, a stationa-ry measuring device tor measuringand discharging solids into successive receptacles while they areausociated with one ot said receptacle-moving devices, a movable deviceio-r discharging measured quantities of liquid into successivereceptacles while they are associated with the other ot' saidreceptacle-moving devices, one of said receptacle-moving devices beingarranged to feed receptacles to the other, and means for preventing thedischarge of liquid by said movable device unless there is a receptaclein proper position to receive such discharge.

4. in a measuring and .tilling apparatus.

the combination of a table, two star wheels associated therewith tormoving receptacles thereover, one otl said star wheels being arranged todischarge receptacles to the other, a stationary measuring deviceoperated in time with one ot said star wheels and arranged to dischargesolids into receptacles associated with said star wheel, a rotatingtunnel movable with the other star wheel and arranged to discharge intoa receptacle associated with such star wheel while such star wheel ismoving, and means for discharging a measured quantity ot liquid intosaid rotating funnel.

ln a measuring and filling apparatus, the combination oit a table, twostar wheels associated therewith for moving receptacles thereover, astationary measuring device operated in time with one ot said starwheels and arranged to discharge solids into receptacles associated withsaid star wheel, a rotating funnel movable with the other star wheel andarranged to discharge into a receptacle associated with such star wheelwhile such star wheel is moving, means 'tor discharging a. measuredquantity of liquid into said rotating tunnel, and means associated withsaid star wheels tor causing receptacles supplied to one of them toremain in cooperation therewith while one measured quantity is beingdischarged thereinto and then to pass to the other star wheel and remainin cooperation therewith while the other measured quantity is beingdischarged thereinto.

t5. In a measuring and filling apparatus, the combination of a table,two star wheels associated therewith 'tor moving receptacles thereover,a stationary measuring device operated' in time with one of said starwheels and arranged to. discharge solids into receptacles associatedwith said star wheel, that star wheel having an intermittent movementand being stationary during the time the associated receptacle receivessuch discharge, a rotating funnel mOvableWith the the other star wheeland arranged to discharge into a receptacleassociated' with such starwheel while such star wheel is moving, means for discharging a measuredquantity ot liquid into said rotating tunnel, and means associated withsaid star wheels tor causing receptacles supplied to one ot them toremain in cooperation therewith while one measured quantity is beingdischarged thereinto and their to pass to the' other star wheel andremain in cooperation therewith. while the other quantity is being.dischargedthere'- into.

i'. ln a measuring andk filling apparatus, the combination ot a table,two star wheels associated therewith for movingl receptacles thereover,a stationary measuring device operated in time with one of said starwheels and arranged to discharge solids into receptacles associatedwithV said star wheel, a rotating tunnel movable with theother starwheel and arranged to discharge into a receptacle associated with suchstar wheel while such star wheel is'moving, means for discharging ameasured quantity ot liquid into said rotating tunnel, means torpreventing the discharge ot liquid into said funnel save when areceptacle is in a position to receive the discharge ot liquid from thetunnel, and means associated with said star wheels tor causingreceptacles supplied to one ot them to remain in cooperation therewithwhile one measured quantity is being discharged thereinto and then topass to the other star wheel and remain in cooperation therewith whilethe other measured quantity is being discharged thereinto.

S. ln a measuring and lilling apparatus tor liquids, a,receptacle-moving device, a tunnel movable with said device and arrangedto discharge into a receptacle associated with said device as suchreceptacle is moving, a` pipe arranged to discharge into said tunnel ata certain point in the movement thereof, a valve in said pipe, saidvalve being spring-pressed to closed position, and means for openingsaid valve uponthe movement ot a receptacle into association with saidreceptacle-moving device.

9. In a measuring and filling apparatus for liquids, a receptacle-movingdevice, a tunnel movable with said device and arranged to discharge intoa receptacle associated with said device as such receptacle is movine'.and a pipe arranged to discharge into said tunnel at a certain pointl inthe movement thereot, said pipe being provided with three valves thereinin series, one being a shut-off valve, another being an adjusting valve,and the third being a valve controlled by the movement of thereceptacles into association with Vsaid device.

l0. In a measuring and filling apparatus it'or liquids, areceptacle-moving device, a funnel movable With said device and arrangedto ydischarge into a'receptacle asso ciated with said device as suchreceptacle is moving, and a pipe arranged to discharge into said funnelat a certain point in the movement thereof, said pipe being providedwith three valves therein in series, one being a shut-oit valve, anotherbeing an adjusting valve, and the third being a valve controlled by themovement of the receptacles into association with said device, saidlast-named valve being spring-pressed to closed position and beingarranged to be moved to open position by the movement of a receptacleinto association with said device.

1l. In a measuring and filling apparatus for liquids, the combination ofa liquiddischarging pipe, a receptacle-moving device for movingreceptacles through a predetermined path during Which they receiveliquid from said pipe, and three valves in said pipe in series, one ofsaid valves being a shut-oft' valve, another being an adjusting valve,and the third being arranged to be controlled by the movement of areceptacle into association with said receptacle-moving device.

l2. In a measuring and filling apparatus for liquids the combination ofa table, a rotatable star Wheel movable thereover, a circular series oftunnels movable With said -star Wheel, each of said tunnels beingarranged over a notch in said star Wheel to discharge into a receptaclein said notch as said receptacle is being moved by the star Wheel, and aliquid-discharge pipe beneath which successive tunnels pass to receive asupply of liquid therefrom, a controlling valve in said liquid-dischargepipe, said controlling valve being spring-pressed to closed position,and means for openingsaid controlling valve upon the movement of areceptacle into the notches of said star Wheel.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Buffalo, New York,this 25th day of February, 1920.

MARK W. LOWE, Administrator of the Estate of Harry W. Lowe, Deceased.

